Thin Film Inspection — Ensuring High Yield

Close monitoring of deposition and etch rate uniformity, as well as thin film stress, in semiconductor manufacturing can save valuable time and money. Non-uniformity of a film layer or too much stress, can result in poor yield and inferior end product performance. Dektak XT provides the ability to quickly and easily set up and run automated multi-site measurement routines to verify the precise thickness of thin films across the wafer surface, down to the nanometer scale. The unmatched repeatability of the Dektak XT gives engineers the accurate film thickness and stress measurements they need to precisely adjust etch and deposition processes to improve yields.

Solar Trace Analysis — Reducing Manufacturing Costs

In the solar market, Dektak is established as the preferred solution for measuring the critical dimensions of silver traces (streets), the conductive lines found on mono and poly crystalline solar panels. The height, width, and continuity of the silver traces correlates to a solar cell’s ability to conduct energy. The desired state of production is to apply just enough silver paste for optimum conductivity without wasting expensive silver. The Dektak XT employs a trace analysis routine that reports a street’s critical dimensions to verify that exactly the sufficient material for conductivity is present. The Data Analyzer recipes and automation functions in Vision64 are influential in automating this verification process.

Microfluidics — Verifying Design and Performance

Dektak is the only stylus profiler to measure large vertical features of sensitive materials (up to 1mm tall) with angstrom-level repeatability. Researchers in MEMS and microfluidics industries can rely on Dektak XT for the critical measurements needed to verify their parts are built to specification. The low force measurement capability, NLite+, applies a light touch to sensitive materials to measure vertical steps and roughness accurately without damaging the sample’s surface.

Surface Roughness Verification — Assuring Performance

The Dektak XT is ideal for routine qualification of surface roughness on precision machined parts for a wide variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, and medical devices. For example, the roughness of the hydroxyapatite coating on the backside of an orthopedic implant influences its adhesive properties and efficacy once implanted. A quick analysis of the rough surface with a Dektak XT confirms if the desired crystalline growth has been achieved and if the implant will pass production requirements. Using the Vision64 database with pass/fail criteria, quality assurance personnel can easily identify implants for rework or certify implant quality.